# Honky Tonkin' About

"Honky Tonkin' About" is a song recorded by Canadian country music duo The Reklaws and American country music artist Drake Milligan. Stuart Walker of the Reklaws wrote the song with Blake Redferrin, Callum Maudsley, and Tawgs Salter, while Salter produced the track.
The song reached number one on the Canadian Country Singles Chart, becoming the fourth chart topper for the duo, and Milligan's first.

## Background

Stuart Walker of the Reklaws wrote "Honky Tonkin' About" during the COVID-19 pandemic with his friends and frequent collaborators. The four "sat down and thought about what we would want to party to at a honky tonk on a Friday night with our friends". Jenna Walker remarked that the song is a "little more western than what you might be used to" from the sibling duo. Drake Milligan added that he was "honoured" to join the duo for his first featured appearance on a song.

## Critical reception

Madeleine O'Connell of Country Now referred to "Honky Tonkin' About" as a "rowdy tune with the kind of grit that gets country music lovers on their feet and ready for a night out". She also noted the inspiration of western music in the song. Bee Delores of Countrypolitan positively reviewed the track, calling it "an addicting saloon-style track ripe for hot summer nights and late-night drinking". James Daykin of Entertainment Focus favourably reviewed the song, saying it "blends classic country swagger with The Reklaws’ signature rowdy party vibes, creating an irresistibly catchy tune that’s bound to get your feet moving".

## Live performances

The Reklaws appeared on Citytv's Breakfast Television shortly after the song's release to promote their recently released live album The Reklaws: Live at History and perform "Honky Tonkin' About" live on air. In September 2023, the duo appeared on television station CHCH's "Music Friday" series to perform the song live. Later that month, Milligan joined the duo to perform the song live at the 2023 Canadian Country Music Awards in Hamilton, Ontario. The show was broadcast live on CTV in Canada, and their performance was later uploaded to YouTube.

## Accolades

| Year | Association | Category | Result | Ref |
| 2024 | Country Music Association of Ontario | Music Video of the Year | Won | [10] [11] |
| 2024 | Country Music Association of Ontario | Single of the Year | Nominated | [10] [11] |
| 2024 | Canadian Country Music Association | Music Video of the Year | Nominated | [12] [13] |
| 2024 | Canadian Country Music Association | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Won | [12] [13] |

## Music video

The official music video for "Honky Tonkin' About" premiered on CMT in the United States on October 19, 2023. It was filmed on-site in Romania, and features Christopher McDonald, Jonathan Pryce, Robert Knepper, and Mary-Louise Parker. The video was directed by Mac Grant, Chad Tennies, and Ben Knechtel.

## Charts

Chart performance for "Honky Tonkin' About" :
| Chart (2023-2024) | Peak position |
| Australia Country Hot 50 (The Music) | 10 |
| Canada Country (Billboard) | 1 |
| Canada Digital Songs (Billboard) | 35 |

## Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Gold | 40,000$^‡$ |
| $^‡$ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |||